What I Learned from Two Weeks Off

Hi, you all there. How’re you? It has been two weeks since my last post. Well, it was only a repurposed post about Risk Profile Checking.

Yeah I know, such a commitment in the end 2016 that I made. Wanted to lower my blog’s bounce rate to be around 75%! Yet, I didn’t post anything useful. Or at the very least, something enjoyable to read.

Along with the short blogging hiatus, I also let my social media unattended. I didn’t even bother to find out what was the latest (and probably the hottest) news around my social media circle.

This is me for the last few weeks (from giphy.com)

It was as if I knew nothing about anything as well as lived in a cave.

But then I felt this longing to write. To share what is inside my head. And of course to check Google Analytics from time to time slash longing for traffic! Hahahaha

So I am now determined to write more regularly here.

What Did I Think About My Social Media Circle and Why?

I have nearly 2 thousand people on my friends list. Something remarkable considering how I always awkward around people and unpopular I was.

Some of my colleagues went as far as using boring to describe about me.

So having almost two thousand people as friends (even only on Facebook it was quite overwhelming). Not to mention how hot the social media lately.

Personal Facebook Page

On top of the burning arguments in Facebook (my most active social media platform) I have so many bloggers in my friends list. Nothing wrong with it actually, but at last they really got me. At least their posts, only some of them actually.

I got sick of people boasting about their accomplishment and even worse their branding. Hahaha. They keep talking that they are this or that kind of blogger so that people will acknowledge them as what they want.

There’s nothing wrong about branding anyway if you do it correctly. At least if you want to do it in your timeline which then will affect mine, do it correctly if you can not do it properly. Hahaha. But then again nobody knew how to do it according to my standard and I didn’t even bother to share it. 😛

In my defense, I have never and won’t ever declare myself as a personal finance blogger in my Facebook status. Though, I write passionately (hopefully you can feel my passion in my writings *grin*) about money management thingy for individuals on my blog.

Let my blog readers decide what my branding is. Isn’t it ridiculous to say that I am a personal financial blogger in my Facebook status updates while I don’t write often about it while there are so many other bloggers write better articles about it without even bother to try to picture themselves as one

I read that kind of thing too many. Too many people just try too hard, don’t you think?

And then there was also those people who want to show their achievement so bad. As if being the loudest spokesperson for their self-proclaimed branding is not enough. They boasted how they won this and that, the new gadget they won or the trip to paradise they will go from a contest and so on and so forth.

Did I envy them? A bit, but I know that they deserved the prize. However, I still didn’t stand the fact they were boasting as if he/she is the greatest of all.

Hell yeah, I was happy with the fact that blogging activity turned this way we know nowadays. What I ask is, please people do it smoothly if you want to call yourself a super blogger.

And above that all, starting November last year, I took this new job in another company. I have been busy since then and suddenly social media is not as interesting anymore. Not to mention that I learned how to use Facebook’s See First feature from Mbak Carra(which I think, you should learn from her blog if you want tol learn to write a killer content).

What’s More Interesting Than Blogging (And Apparently Social Media) Anyway?

A lot!

Being busy with the new job has taken most of my attention. The job is great and so many things to learn! Though every now and then I have had the opportunity to scroll on my Facebook feed or even writing a blog post, getting involved in a conversation with my colleagues seemed more interesting.

Then I also managed to watch Breaking Bad down to the last episode where Mr. White bled to death. And now I’m planning to continue to start watching Game of Thrones.

Breaking Bad, A Must See TV Show

And believe me, tv series were not the only thing getting more of my attention. I haven’t mentioned books! I read voraciously books which before were only stacked everywhere! I finished two and heading to the third book while reading other three concurrently.

My list of currently reading book

I got to learn how interesting a classic book of Allan Quatermain by Henry Rider Haggard, the only novel written by Sylvia Plath, Bell Jar and a romantic novel by Sophie Kinsella I Got Your Number. The hardest book to read on my plate right now is a Man Booker Prize winner, Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel. Every day I try my best to get 10 pages of each book every day.

And again I ask you to believe me, life is still beautiful outside your social media. At least on my case.

But then when I couldn’t resist the temptation to look at my Analytics data, I bit my tongue. I lost 200-300 views a day. No wonder with no new post for over two weeks! Furthermore, my AdSense revenue and money generated from the blog also significantly decreased.

Blog Monetizing and Why I Decided to Return Blogging?

Yes, since I got my Adsense approval, this blog has been self-sustained. In terms of cost, my blog has generated enough money needed to spend to keep this blog alive. To me, blogging has been always a hobby. I have never before considered my blog as an income generator. At least until today.

danirachmat.com and blog monetizing

By doing so, I hope what comes out of my head won’t have any vested interest. Though, I always state it clearly on my post whenever there’s any kind of payment for the post. Read my disclaimer for this blog (note to myself to update the page! :D)

This is also one of the reasons why I don’t really read blog posts shared on social media. Many times the post was a paid post with so promising title but I got next to nothing from the post. While the post didn’t indicate any payment received.

Or maybe a post intended for a blog contest which praising the brand in any possible ways the bloggers can think of yet didn’t provide much added-value to the reader. I can never relate to this kind of post.

Maybe that was why I never joined any blog contest nor made blog monetizing on my first priority. At the very least not by accepting paid post blindly.

Adsense ads revenue is enough for me right now.

I can only wish those soul-less post owners could get a better insight on how they can monetize their blog so that they can work on their priorities and in the end of the day produce better writing. Moreover for their paid posts.

Is Your Blog Really Worth It?

Brands pay them to come up with a post that will lift their online presence right? Be it traffic, conversion and moreover the more positive image. How can they get those things if what comes up is their very press release?

I don’t know, what do you think?

What gibberish am I talking about? Back to why I want to be back blogging!

My Adsense revenue dropped as my traffic slumped. Hahahaha.

Blog Monetizing Adsense

If I couldn’t generate income from it to cover all the blogging expenses then I have to spend from my pocket or worse I will need to accept any paid post. So here I am.

Hahaha. And if you are thinking reading this post in English is hard, why don’t you translate it first? I already provide the tool. 😀

danirachmat.com and blog monetizing

For those who disable their ad blocker to be able to read my posts, I’m deeply grateful for your kindness. 🙂 So, wait for my next posts! *grin!

Bahahahahaha. I try to be as honest as possible Lia. But for you, I like seeing your updates. You didn’t say you are this and that blogger kind of blogger but you just show us your good work. Thank you Lia! 🙂

I feel the same way about blogging, maybe worse..as I was almost giving up and chose to be nothing but busy leasure mom who is driving here and there taking my kids everywhere they need. Yet I’m still struggling to stand again. Well, welcome back Dan. You are good at this, so keep blogging yah.

The blogging atmosphere is changing rapidly, imho. from activity that never seen by people into something that everyone try to do and maximizing their wealth through blog. I also kind of feed up with all those bragging things. But hey… many “Gurus” said that bloggers need to do that to be well known.

Agree with you about branding – it is about what others say about you – not only what we claim for. And you… you are Finance Blogger Indonesia, in my opinion.

Keeping those spirits alive also make me more concern into this particular blog rather than my personal one. 😀

Hope that you are doing well and will always be doing well with your blog Dan. One of the blogs I continuously read.

I too accept paid review or post on my blog. While I like it a lot, I have always been selective which offer to take or deny. Those that are against my blog value or what I believe will never appear though huge fee is offered. I’m aiming at making a self-sustained blog like yours, especially from Adsense.

As for blog contests, I must be frank that I love them. Now that I’m living in a rural area and relying on online income, taking part in blog competition will be of great benefit. You made a good point though when referring to bloggers who write mere product info much like a press release–something we can actually find on the brand’s official website. It’s probably relevant with what Mbak Carra mentioned a couple of days ago that she longed for previous atmosphere of blogging. Where personal touch is profound and different perspectives are so enriching.

I don’t know to what status should I self-proclaim coz I don’t think I’m good at particular stuff everyone will agree. What I do agree is that I’ll keep reading your post, especially movie review. So when are you going to write a new one?

Good point about boring posts, Mas Dani. That’s what I’ve been thinking about lately, and that’s the reason why I don’t really interested in blogwalking. Especially when I indicate that the post is a sponsored post. Kecuali bantu ngeramein posting job temen sih, hihihi.

Blogging is about sharing personal experiences, personal thoughts, and also personal expertise. That “personal” makes blog differ from news portals or company websites. So, let’s blog as a person not a marketing representative 🙂